Mayweather hints at possibility of ring return

WASHINGTON • Floyd Mayweather is happily retired, but the unbeaten boxer hinted in an interview on Saturday that a return to the ring could not be completely ruled out.

The 39-year-old quit boxing in September after accumulating a 49-0 record during a 19-year career that produced world titles in five weight divisions and earnings in excess of US$800 million (S$1.07 billion).

The American says he is happy with life outside the ring but acknowledged that he was in talks with television networks over a possible comeback fight.

"Everyone is asking me 'Is Floyd Mayweather coming back?' " he said in an interview with a Showtime reporter at the DC Armory in Washington, where he was on hand as a promoter of Badou Jack's majority draw with Lucian Bute in a super middleweight world title fight.

"Right now, I'm happy being on this side but I've been talking with CBS and Showtime and you just never know. But right now, I'm just happy on this side."

AT THE CROSSROADS

Some crazy numbers have been thrown my way - upwards, of course, of nine figures. But I'm truly blessed beyond belief and I really don't know what we're going to do.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER, on offers to bring him out of boxing retirement.

Added the ageing boxer, who ended his career in the welterweight division: "As of right now, some crazy numbers have been thrown my way - upwards, of course, of nine figures. But I'm truly blessed beyond belief and I really don't know what we're going to do. But right now, I'm really happy being on this side helping our fighters."

Mayweather beat Filipino Manny Pacquiao, who retired last month, in a unanimous decision last year before defeating Andre Berto in September in his last bout.

Many want him to take on undefeated Kazakh middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, but Mayweather was quick to rule out the possibility of agreeing to that.

"How can Floyd Mayweather fight at 160 (pounds) when I can never even make 154?" he said.

Also holding court on Saturday at his training base on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay was British boxer Amir Khan, who suggested that next Saturday's WBC middleweight title fight against Saul "Canelo" Alvarez in Las Vegas, by far the biggest test of his 11-year professional career, is not his only focus.

The 29-year-old made it clear that he is pondering a future in mixed martial arts (MMA).

"I have a stake in a company called Super Fight League, which is an MMA company in India and we have a lot of shows in Dubai, too," he said. "We are now moving over into America and putting on shows there," he said.

"You never know what will happen in the future - I would never say 'no' to getting into MMA. I could do it under my own banner and what a way to do it. My speed would be perfect, it's hit and move."

REUTERS, THE GUARDIAN

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 02, 2016, with the headline 'Mayweather hints at possibility of ring return'. Print Edition | Subscribe

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